Awareness seminar held at CIU for parents of specially gifted children
Cyprus International University (CIU) organized an activity on the evaluation and development of parent’s self-efficiency, in relation to what being a parent of a specially gifted child brings.
The online seminar “Parental Awareness and Parental Self-Efficiency in Relation to Gifted Children” that was presented by CIU Faculty of Education Academic Staff, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağla Gür, was attended by over 300 parents of gifted children from Turkey and the TRNC.
Informing about the concept of self-efficiency during the seminar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gür went on to state, “Self-efficiency refers to the judgments of individuals in relation to how well they are able to take the necessary actions in order to cope with certain situations”.
Stating that parental self-efficiency is an indication of the degree of adequacy to which parents see themselves within their parenting roles, Gür noted that it also includes their perceptions and beliefs in relation to their ability on having a positive effect upon their child’s behavioral development.
Emphasizing that parents have an important role in assisting gifted children to acquire the life skills they need, and to grow up as mentally and emotionally healthy individuals, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gür continued, “Children need someone who they feel loved by, who understands their dilemmas and cares about them”.
Saying that it is understood as a conditional acceptance when a child thinks that they will be loved only when they succeed or do something that is wanted from them, Gür advised that the feeling of conditional acceptance causes anxiety in the gifted child, the development of excessive perfectionist behaviors and also causes loneliness.
Education is a process
Noting that parent’s distance themselves from seeing education as a process and sometimes focus on short-term successes, Gür elaborated, “However, a long-term perspective upon what is experienced should be developed, and not a short-term one”.
In order to improve their self-efficiency, Gür stated that parents should know both their children and themselves very well, and went on to say, “A parent should know their strengths, points of anger, and common factors with their children. Likewise, it is also important that they are aware of the child’s interests, personal, social and cognitive features”.
Stipulating that instead of dwelling on the negative, the positives should be brought to the forefront, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gür said that allocating individual time for the child will establish an effective and qualified bond with them, making the communication with the child increasingly positive.
Pointing out the necessity of finding solutions in order to reduce parental tension in relation to stressful situations, Gür noted that the reduction of stress will support a more solution-oriented approach to events.